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Mayor of Kauai Vetoes Bill to Limit Pesticide Testing

The mayor of the Hawaiian island of Kauai has vetoed a bill that would have placed restrictions on pesticides used by biotech companies on the island for testing purposes.

The bill would have placed buffer zones for pesticide testing around schools, hospitals and residential areas, as well as required the island’s biotech companies to disclose what pesticides they were using.

Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., called the bill “legally flawed,” choosing to veto it despite saying he agreed with the intent behind it.

The Kauai county council voted 6-1 to approve the bill on Oct. 16. With another vote of at least five, the council can override the mayor’s veto.

how sad. the mayor is sad. its not ok to spray around schools ect and its not good that the gmo companies dont have to reveal what they are testing. what if these pesticides make people sick? if the chemicals are kept secret how will drs be able to treat people poisoned by this frankengarbage accurately if they dont even know what the cause is!

FS Illuminati

I wonder what companies this guy gets his campaign funding from?????

This makes me sick, this is whats wrong with our country….

6-1 vote is clearly representative of what the majority of the public wants…

The mayor is supposed to represent the voice of the people who voted him into office

Yet he vetos this bill, which directly contradicts the opinion of the people who put him into office to represent their views….

Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., you my friend are the scum of the earth. There is a special place for people like yourself and it is not a matter of will you end up there it is a matter of when.

Riverdivine

Hope that the next vote for the city council is to vote in a new mayor. Perhaps one who has some intelligence, integrity, and cares about the health and welfare of the people and island. GMO’s and pesticides are highly dangerous to people and animals (linked to cancers, lymphomas, neurological disease such as Parkinson’s and MS, ADHD, and more). They mutate/poison the earth, the environment, air, wildlife, beneficial insects, water supply, and more. This island could distinguish themselves by making their island a haven for organic farming- thereby restoring the health of their island, and boosting their economy many times over. The City Council clearly understands this- so hopefully, intelligence and perseverance will prove more powerful than same ol’, same ol’ ignorance and short sightedness of this mayor, and most of the rest of our country.

FoodSleuth

What’s the back story on Carvalho’s decision that the bill was “legally flawed?”
Afraid of a threatened lawsuit perhaps? Or worse?

As a registered dietitian who studies, writes and speaks about the
adverse affects of pesticides on human health (through a food and watershed
lens), I say override his veto. Protecting our children’s health, and their
food and water is critical. There is absolutely no reason to put neurotoxins
and endocrine disruptors into the environment, other than a few people at the
top making lots of money in chemical and seed sales. As a health care
provider, I say: examine the alternatives and take a precautionary approach. If
we harm our children, we have no future.

Trust no government agency or government official with your health. Evidently even local ones are poorly informed or have been bought and paid for. Sad.

Mainecooncat

How much are they paying him?

FoodLover

I agree 100% in the intent of the bill; however, what many people may not realize is that so did the mayor. The mayor did not veto the bill because he was bought off or because he didn’t believe that pesticides are harmful, he vetoed it based on legal opinion from the Kauai county attorney. The county attorney believed that the county did not have the authority to enforce what the bill put forward. The attorney also believed that the bill broke down the separation of powers, putting authority where it didn’t belong. While I am disappointed the veto came about, it would be just as bad if the bill went through and it couldn’t legally solve the problem. Veto or not, sounds like addressing the issue isn’t a done deal, they just need to find an enforceable way of doing it.

Gene

It’s also problematic whether this bill is just a conscience placebo because you have to wonder how effective buffer zones are in any case when these pesticides are liberated in the water and air.